Gas lighters



y 1965 M- QUERCIA 3,183,687

GAS LIGHTERS Filed June 25, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 NVE N TOR ATTORNEY M- QUERCIA GAS LIGHTERS May 18, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 25, 1962 ATTORNEY May 18, 1965 M. QUERCIA GAS LIGHTERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 25, 1962 a 0 73 6 w 22 1 2 a i 7o W. 6 m 4% I 6 1 w J 3 a H a o 4 0 3 a a M WW 3 7 n 1 2 INVENTOR and aka-gin,

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,183,687 GAS LIGHTERS Marcel Quercia, Paris, France, assignor to Flaminaire Marcel Quercia, Paris, France, a society of France Filed June 25, 1962, Ser. No. 204,825 Claims priority, application France, June 29, 1961,

18 Claims. (Cl. 67-71) The present invention relates to gas lighters comprising a reservoir made in the form of a removable refill cartridge, this reservoir having in one wall thereof a gas outflow orifice controlled by a discharge valve the stem of which projects to the outside of the reservoir, and preferably extends through this outlet orifice, whereby opening thereof is obtained by pushing said stem into the reservoir.

The chief object of this invention is to provide a gas lighter of this kind which is better adapted to meet the requirements of practice than those known up to this time, especially from the point of view of simplicity of manufacture.

According to this invention, the body of the lighter is formed with a housing shaped and dimensioned to accommodate said removable reservoir with a certain play to permit movement of said reservoir in said housing in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of a resilient annular sealing member disposed between said reservoir wall and the inner wall of said housing located opposite said wall, said annular sealing member surrounding, at one end thereof, said gas outflow orifice of the reservoir'and, at the other end, the inlet of a conduit formed in the body of the lighter and leading to the burner thereof, said body comprising means for moving, from the outside of the lighter, the reservoir in its housing in such manner as to open said discharge valve by pushing the valve stem against said inner wall of the housing.

Preferred embodiments of this invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the appended drawings given merely by way of example and in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section of a gas lighter made according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a similar view of another gas lighter also made according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a side view of a gas lighter made according to a third embodiment of the invention;

IG. 4 is a view similar to FIGS. 1 and 2 showing a fourth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 of a fifth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 shows the lighter of FIG. 5 in section by a plane perpendicular to the section plane of the FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a vertical elevation, partly in section, of a gas lighter made according to a modification;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are views, similar to FIGS. 6 and 5, respectively, of a gas lighter made according to still another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a portion of the mechanism of the lighter of FIGS. 8 and 9;

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of the lighter of FIGS. 8 and 9.

The removable reservoir 1 of the lighter, which contains acombustible gas under pressure, such as butane liquefied under pressure, is preferably, as shown, in the form of a relatively flat box, such as a pillbox, the periphery of which is circular, elliptic or polygonal. One of the end faces of this box is provided, in his central region, with a gas outflow orifice through which projects a valve stem 2, so that when said stem is pushed toward the inside of the reservoir, valve 2 opens and gas flows out through the orifice.

The body of the lighter consists of two portions, such as 3 and 4 in FIG. 1, in the form of half-shells forming between them a housing 5 for reservoir 1.

This housing 5 is shaped and dimensioned in such manner that a play exists between the end walls of reservoir 1 and the corresponding inner walls of housing 5, respectively, so that reservoir 1 can be displaced in this housing in a direction at least approximately parallel to the direction of valve stem 2.

The portion 3 of the body is provided with a conduit 7 having an orifice 6 located opposite valve stem 2, this conduit '7 leading to the burner 8 of the lighter.

Between the inner wall of housing 5 and reservoir 1 there is provided a resilient annular sealing member 9 one end of which surrounds orifice 6 whereas its other end surrounds valve stem 2 and the gas outflow orifice of reservoir 1.

Means are provided for displacing, from the outside of the lighter, reservoir 1 toward portion 3 of the body so that valve stem 2, applied against the inner wall of housing 5, is driven toward the inside of reservoir 1, thus opening the valve. At the same time, annular sealing memher 9 is resiliently deformed.

Said member 9 might be fixed to reservoir 1 but preferably, as shown by the drawings, annular sealing member 9 is fixed to the inner wall of housing 5 around orifice 6.

This member 9 acts not only as a sealing member for the flow of gas from reservoir 1 to conduit 7, but as a kind of spring urging reservoir 1 away from the inner wall of the body portion 3.

The means for displacing reservoir 1 in housing 5 against the resilient action of member 9 consists in the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 4, of a flexible portion of the half-shell 4 of the body.

In the construction of FIG. 1 this flexible portion consists of a diaphragm 10, for instance of leather, fixed around the edge of an aperture 11 formed in half-shell 4 opposite reservoir 1.

Advantageousiy, as shown, the central portion of diaphragm 16 carries a rigid ornamental piece 12, fixed thereon.

According to another construction, illustrated by FIG. 2, the flexible portion of the wall of half-shell 4a is formed by a corrugation 13 of circular shape which permits de formation of said wall 4a.

In some cases, in particular when half-shell 4a is made of a molded material, for instance a plastic material, the thickness of the wall of half-shell 4a is reduced along corrugation 13.

In the construction of FIG. 3, where half-shell 4b is made of a stamped metal sheet, the flexible portion is obtained by providing cuts 14 in said sheet.

In the construction of FIG. 4, half-shell 4c is provided with an opening in which is movably mounted a plate 15, the edges of which bear against the edges of this opening. Plate 15 is provided in its periphery with small tongues 15a bent to extend through corresponding slits provided in half-shell 4c, the ends of said tongues 15a being bent at 15b to bear against the inner wall of half-shell 40. These sliding tongues 15a permit of pushing plate 15 toward the inside of the lighter and thus of driving reservoir 1 toward the inner wall of halfshell 5b.

According to other embodiments of the invention, the displacement of the reservoir in its housing is produced by means of a control member which is to be actuated before the burner can operate and which may even serve to operate said burner.

For instance this control member may act upon the central part of one of the end walls of reservoir 1 to displace it in its housing 5. Preferably, as shown, this control member comprises a lug 16 applied against the peripheral portion of said end wall of reservoir 1 in order to cause it to pivot in its housing about its opposed edge, at a place where the reservoir is hearing either against a flange 17 of housing 5d (FIG. 7) or against a projection 17a fixed to edge of said housing (FIGS. 5 and 6).

In the construction of FIGS. 5 and 6, control member 18, which comprises lug 16, is mounted in such manner in the body of the lighter as to be slidable therein in a direction substantially parallel to valve stem 2, this member 18 carrying a pin 19 perpendicular to the direc tion of said stem.

A hood 20 is mounted slidable in the body of the lighter along a guiding pin 21 perpendicular to the direction to valve stem 2, and tothat of pin 19. Normally this hood 20 covers the orifice of burner '8. This hood is provided with a notch 23 such that when the hood is moved into its upper position, shown in dotted lines in FIG. 5, the orifice of burner 8 is uncovered. Hood 2% is provided with a slot 22, oblique with respect to the direction of sliding of said hood and adapted to cooperate with pin 19 so that member 18 is driven toward the right (FIG. 5) when hood 2!) is brought into its upper position, thus causing reservoir 1 to pivot in the same direction, whereby the gas outflow orifice of this reservoir is opened.

When hood 20 is brought back into lower position, thus covering burner 3, member 18 is moved toward the left, reservoir 1 pivoting toward the left and the dis charge valve closing.

In the construction of FIG. 7, control member 18a, instead of being slidable in the body of the lighter, is pivotable around an axis 24 parallel to pin 1%.

Advantageously, as shown by FIG. 7, slot 22a is con nected, at its upper end, with a transverse slot 25 also provided in hood 2% and extending along a circular are having its center on axis 24. When hood 20a is in its lower position, slot 25 enables control member 18a to pivot in the clockwise direction so as to come into the position shown in dot-and-dash lines in FIG. 7. In this position lug 16 clears the edge of reservoir 1, which can thus be removed from its housing 501. Control member 18a is subjected to the action of spring 26, wound around axis 25 and bearing against the body of the lighter so as to urge plug 16 against reservoir 1.

It will be notedthat in the construction of FIG. 7 the lower edge of reservoir 1 bears against a fixed edge 17 of housing 5d whereas in the construction of FIGS. 5 and 6 said lower edge of reservoir 1 is hearing against a projection 17a removably fixed by a screw 17b. 7

In the construction of FIGS. 8 to 11 the displacement of reservoir 1 in its housing 52 is obtained by means of a control member 18b pivoting around an axis 27 fixed in the body of the lighter and parallel to valve stem 2.

On one side of pivot axis 27, member 18b carries a lug 16a and on the other hand it carries a hood or cover 20!), these parts being arranged in such manner that when cover 20b is opened so as to clear burner 8 (i.e. when said cover is moved from the position of FIG. 8 to that of FIG. 11) lug 16a slides from the periphery of the reservoir along the convex bulging wall thereof, thus driving it into its housing Se in order to open the discharge orifice of reservoir 1.

Advantageously, as shown, means are provided for resil iently keeping cover 20b either in its opened position or in its closed position.

For this purpose, member 1811 carries, fixed thereon, a pin 28 parallel to axis 27 and passing through a slot 3611 provided in a plate 36 fixed in the body of the lighter, said slot 36a being in the form of a circular arc concentric with axis 27. This pin 28 cooperates with the vertical end wall of a box or casing 29 mounted in the body of the lighter in such manner as to be slidable transversely therein between two parallel guiding plates 33 and 34 both fixed with respect to the body of the lighter and one of which 34, is carried by a plate 35 adjoining plate 36. This casing 29 contains a spring 30 extending along a U-shaped path. This spring applies, through a push-piece 31, a flint, not shown, against friction wheel 32. The reaction of the thrust exerted by spring 32 upon the flint tends to move box 2 rearwardly against pin 28..

The path' of travel, in the form of a circular arc, of pin 28 during the movements of cover 20b around axis 27 is disposed in such manner with respect to sliding box 29 that the compression of'spring 30 is smaller for the extreme positions of hood 2%, which correspond to complete closing and complete opening, respectively, thereof, than for any intermediate position of said cover 20b. Thus the extreme positions of said cover 20b are stabilized by spring 30.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the above described embodiments thereof.

What I claim is:

1. A gas lighter which comprises, in combination, a body, a burner carried by said body, said body being made of two half-shells assembled to form between them a housing having two large main walls facing each other, said housing extending in a first direction substantially parallel to said main walls much further than in a second direction normal to said first direction, a removable gas reservoir in said housing, said reservoir being in the form of a pillbox the opposite end walls of which are of respective shapes conforming to those of said housing large main walls, one of said half-shells being rigid and the other one having its central portion movable with respect to the remainder thereof, a conduit formed in said rigid half shell having a first end connected with said burner and a second end opening into that of said large main walls belonging to said rigid half-shell, in the central region thereof, said reservoir being provided, in the central portion of the end wall thereof adjoining said rigid half-shell, with a gas outflow orifice, a valve mounted in said orifice, a valve stem carried bysaid valve and projecting in said second direction from said last mentioned reservoir end wall, so that said valve is opened when said stem is pushed toward the inside of said reservoir, a resiliently compressible annular sealing member having its axis transverse to said last mentioned reservoir end wall and extending between it and said rigid half-shell large inner wall, said annular sealing member surrounding, at one end thereof, said conduit second end and, at the other end, said reservoir gas outflow orifice, said reservoir being mounted movable in said housing in a direction at least approximately parallel to the axis of said annular sealing member, to permit of pushing said stem against said rigid half-shell and thus of opening said gas outflow orifice, said movable portion of the other half-shell being operatively connected with the end wall of said reservoir that adjoins it, whereby, by displacement of said movable portions said reservoir can be moved in said housing to push said stem against said rigid half-shell.

2. A gas lighter according to claim 1 wherein the second mentioned half-shell is provided with an opening, the movable portion of said last mentioned half-shell consisting of a flexible diaphragm mounted across said opening.

3. A gas lighter according to claim 1 wherein said second mentioned half-shell is provided with a corrugation extending along a closed line, the movable portion of said last mentioned half-shell being the portion thereof inside said corrugation.

4. A gas lighter according to claim 1 wherein said movable portion of the second mentioned half-shell is provided with a plurality of cuts making it flexible.

5. A gas lighter according to claim 1 wherein said second mentioned half-shell is provided with an opening in its central portion, the movable portion of said last mentioned half-shell consisting of a plate movably mounted across said opening.

. 6. A gas lighter which comprises, in combination, a body, a burner carried by said body, said body forming a housing, a removable gas reservoir in said housing, a conduit formed in said body leading from said burner and opening into the inner wall of said housing at a point thereof, said reservoir being provided with a gas outflow orifice located opposite the region of said housing inner wall where is located said point of opening of said conduit, a valve mounted in said orifice to control the opening thereof, a valve stem, carried by said valve and projecting from the outer wall of said reservoir so that said valve is opened when said stem is pushed toward the inside of said reservoir, a resilient annular sealing member interposed between the outer wall of said reservoir and the inner wall of said housing and surrounding, at one end thereof, said orifice and, at the other end, said point of opening of said conduit, said reservoir being mounted movable in said housing in a direction at least approximately parallel to the axis of said annular sealing member, to permit of pushing said stern against the inner wall of said housing and thus of opening said gas outflow orifice, safety means movably mounted on said body capable, in a first position with respect thereto, of preventing operation of said burner and, in a second position, of permitting said operation, and means carried by said body and operatively connected with said safety means for moving said reservoir in said housing to perform said stem pushing action in response to the shifting of said safety means from said first position to said second position thereof.

7. A gas lighter according to claim 6 wherein said safety means consist of a hood capable, in the first position, of covering said burner and, in the second position, of clearing said burner.

8. A gas lighter according to claim 6 wherein said reservoir is shaped like a pillbox and said means for moving said reservoir in said housing, comprise lug bearing against one of the end walls of said reservoir.

9. A gas lighter according to claim 6 wherein said reservoir is shaped like a pillbox and the means for moving said reservoir in said housing comprise a member movably carried by said body so that at least a portion of said member is movable at least approximately in said body in a direction parallel to said valve stem, said safety means consist of a hood capable, in a first position, of covering said burner and, in a second position, of clearing said burner, one of said two last mentioned elements, i.e. said member and said hood, being provided with a slot oblique with respect to the direction of displacement of said element, and the other of said elements including a pin slidably engaged in said slot, and said member including a lug bearing against the peripheral part of an end wall of said box.

10. A gas lighter according to claim 9 wherein said slot further includes a transverse extension adapted to accommodate said pin slidably therein to permit a displacement of said member into a position where said reservoir can be withdrawn from said housing.

11. A gas lighter according to claim 6 wherein said reservoir is shaped like a pillbox having bulging end walls and said means for moving said reservoir in said housing comprise a member pivoted in said body around an axis parallel to said valve stem, said member including a lug bearing normally against the peripheral portion of one of said reservoir end Walls and adapted to slide on said end Wall toward the center thereof thus pushing said reservoir in the desired direction.

12. In a lighter using compressed gas as a fuel, in combination, a housing having a length considerably greater than its width; a removable gas reservoir in said housing, said gas reservoir extending in a first direction which extends in direction of the length of said housing much farther than in a second direction substantially normal to said first direction, said reservoir being mounted in said housing movably in said second direction having a side wall extending substantially in said first direction and being spaced from an inner surface portion of said housing in said second direction, said reservoir being formed in said side wall with a discharge opening; valve means carried by said side wall of said reservoir for opening and closing said discharge opening and having a valve operating member extending in said second diection and being movable from a valve closing position to a valve opening position during movement of said reservoir in said second direction in which said side wall thereof moves towards said inner surface portion of said housing; a burner carried by said housing at one of its ends extending transverse to said first direction; passage means communicating at one end thereof with said burner and having another end at said inner surface portion of said housing opposite and spaced from said discharge opening of said reservoir for supply ing said burner with gaseous fuel when said valve means are opened; a resiliently compressible annular sealing member between said other end of said passage means and said discharge opening of said reservoir around said operating member of said valve means, said resilient annular sealing member forming a fluid tight connection etween said other end of said passage means and said discharge opening and resiliently holding in expanded position said side wall of said reservoir spaced from said inner surface portion of said housing; and means cooperating with said gas reservoir for moving said reservoir against the resilient force of said resilient annular sealing member in said second direction so as to move said operating member of said valve means from said valve closing to said valve opening position.

13. In a lighter using compressed gas as a fuel, in combination, a gas reservoir having in a first direction a dimension considerably smaller than in a second direction normal to said first direction; a housing at least partly enclosing said gas reservoir and having in said first direction also a dimension considerably smaller than in said second direction and the dimensions of said housing being slightly greater than that of said reservoir, said reservoir being movable in said housing in said first direction; valve means communicating with the interior of said reservoir and having an operating member movable between a valve opening and a valve closing position during movement of said reservoir in said first direction; a burner carried by said housing; passage means connecting said valve means with said burner for supplying the latter with gaseous fuel when said valve means are open; igniting means for igniting the gaseous fuel leaving said burner; and means cooperating with said gas reservoir and operable from the exterior of said housing for moving said reservoir in said first direction so as to move said operating member of said valve means between said positions thereof.

14. A lighter as set forth in claim 13 wherein said passage means are rigid.

15. In a lighter using compressed gas as a fuel, in com bination, a gas reservoir having in a first direction a dimension considerably smaller than in a second direction normal to said first direction; a housing at least partly enclosing said reservoir and having in said first direction also a dimension considerably smaller than in said second direction and the dimensions of said housing being slightly greater than that of said reservoir, said reservoir being movable in said housing in said first direction and having a side wall extending in said second direction and facing an inner surface portion of said housing spaced therefrom; valve means communicating with the interior of said reservoir, carried by said side wall of the latter and having a valve operating member extending in said first direction and being movable from a valve closing to a valve opening position during movement of said reservoir in said first direction and movement of said side wall thereof toward said inner surface portion of said housing; a burner carried by said housing; passage means connecting said valve means with said burner for supplying the latter with gaseous fuel when said valve means are open; resilient means located between said side wall of said reservoir and said inner surface portion of said housing in engagement with said reservoir and said surface portion and biased to yieldably maintain said side wall of said reservoir spaced from said inner surface portion of said housing so that said valve operating memher will normally stay in said closed position; and means cooperating with said gas reservoir and operable from the exterior of said housing for moving said reservoir against the force of said resilient means in said first direction so as to move said operating member of said valve means from said valve closing to said valve opening position.

16. A lighter as set forth in claim 15 wherein said means for moving said reservoir in said direction include a flexible wall portion of said housing engaging a side wall of said reservoir opposite said one side wall.

17. In a lighter using compressed gas as a fuel, in combination, a housing having in a first direction a dimension considerably smaller than in a second direction normal to the first direction and having a main wall extending substantially in said second direction; a gas reservoir in said housing and having in said first direction a dimension considerably smaller than in said second direction and the dimensions of said gas reservoir in said first and second directions being slightly smaller than the corresponding dimensions of said housing, said gas reservoir being movable in said housing in said first direction and having a side wall extending substantially in said second direction, said side wall facing and being spaced from said main Wall of said housing; an outlet orifice extending in said first direction and formed in said side wall or": said reservoir; means forming-a gas discharge orifice extending in said second direction'and carried by said housing on one of its ends; passage means connecting said outlet orifice wi'th'said gas discharge orifice; means adapted to cooperate with said main wall of said housing to cause opening of said outlet orifice during movement of said reservoir in said first direction; and means in a housing wall opposite said main Wall thereof and cooperating with said reservoir for moving the latter in said first direction for thereby opening said outlet orifice. 18. A lighter as set forth in claim 17 wherein said housing is a closed housing and said last mentioned means'include a central portion in said housing Wall opposite said main Wall thereof which is deformable.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,951,644 9/60 Mahon et al 222--162 X 2,966,283 12/60 Darvie 222162 X 3,045,873 7/62 Ryan 222-162 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,233,613 5/60 France.

EDWARD J. MICHAEL, Primary Examiner. MEYER PERLIN, Examiner. 

13. IN A LIGHTER USING COMPRESSED GAS AS A FUEL, IN COMBINATION, A GAS RESERVOIR HAVING IN A FIRST DIRECTION A DIMENSION CONSIDERABLY SMALLER THAN IN A SECOND DIRECTION NORMAL TO SAID FIRST DIRECTION; A HOUSING AT LEAST PARTLY ENCLOSING SAID GAS RESERVOIR AND HAVING IN SAID FIRST DIRECTION ALSO A DIMENSION CONSIDERABLY SMALLER THAN IN SAID SECOND DIRECTION AND THE DIMENSIONS OF SAID HOUSING BEING SLIGHTLY GREATER THAN THAT OF SAID RESERVOIR, SAID RESERVOIR BEING MOVABLE IN SAID HOUSING IN SAID FIRST DIRECTION; VALVE MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID RESERVOIR AND HAVING AN OPERATING MEMBER MOVABLE BETWEEN A VALVE OPENING AND A VALVE CLOSING POSITION DURING MOVEMENT OF SAID RESERVOIR IN SAID FIRST DIRECTION; A BURNER CARRIED BY SAID HOUSING; PASSAGE MEANS CONNECTING SAID VALVE MEANS WITH SAID BURNER FOR SUPPLYING THE LATTER WITH GASEOUS FUEL WHEN SAID VALVE MEANS ARE OPEN; IGNITING MEANS FOR IGNITING THE GASEOUS FUEL LEAVING SAID BURNER; AND MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID GAS RESERVOIR AND OPERABLE FROM THE EXTERIOR OF SAID HOUSING FOR MOVING SAID RESERVOIR IN SAID FIRST DIRECTION SO AS TO MOVE SAID OPERATING MEMBER OF SAID VALVE MEANS BETWEEN SAID POSITIONS THEREOF. 